steam engine
noun
an engine worked by steam, typically one in which a sliding piston in a cylinder is moved by the expansive action of the steam generated in a boiler.
steam engines
-
pluralof steam engine.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Elevators have driven urban development for nearly two centuries, evolving from steam engines and hemp ropes to more advanced systems that helped shape modern cities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026
At first, this new field played a key role in the Industrial Revolution by explaining how heat could be converted efficiently into useful work, such as powering steam engines.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 23, 2025
But is this just steam engines and Jevons paradox all over again?
From Slate ● Feb. 1, 2025
"But it caught fire and was destroyed, so that didn't really work. He'd got static steam engines working but dreamed of making wagons move without horses."
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2024
The differences extend to most other significant technological advances, from printing presses to glass and steam engines.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
